GIFT  OF 


The  Postponed 
Millenium 

By    KEITH    L.    BROOKS 


PRICE,  10  CENTS 


HAMILTON  BROS. 

SCRIPTURE  TRUTH  DEPOT 

120  Tremont  Street 

Boston,  Mass. 


Writings  on  the  Important  Subject  of  the 
Kingdom  by  Mr.  Mauro. 


God's  Present  Kingdom.  270  pages, 
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Kingdom.  Current  theories  discussed, 
difficult  passages  of  Scripture  explained. 
Contains  an  introduction  and  twenty-two 
chapters.  (Cloth) $1.25 

After  This,  or  the  Church,  the  Kingdom  and 
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signed to  this  present  age  in  God's  plan 
and  purpose  for  the  ages.  (Cloth)  $1.00 

The  Kingdom  of  Heaven.  What  Is  It  ? 
And  When?  and  Where?  New  and  en- 
larged edition.  (Paper)  50 

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Bringing  Back  The  King.  Containing  "The 
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The  Postponed 

i 

Millenium 


KEITH  L.  BROOKS 


HAMILTON    BROS. 

SCRIPTURE  TRUTH  DEPOT 

120  Tremont  Street 

Boston,  Mass. 


Introduction 

By  PHILIP  MAURO. 

Having  derived  both  profit  and  enjoyment  from  the  read- 
ing of  this  book  in  manuscript  form,  I  take  pleasure  in 
commending  it  to  all  whose  delight  is  in  the  Word  of  God, 
and  who  seek  to  increase  their  knowledge  and  understand- 
ing of  its  precious  contents. 

In  these  pages  will  be  found  a  fresh  and  timely  study  of 
a  subject  of  deepest  interest.  Moreover  the  form  in  which 
the  author  presents  the  results  of  his  investigations  is  quite 
original  and  makes  it  easy  for  the  ordinary  reader  to  get 
the  full  benefit  of  those  results.  Our  author  lately  found 
himself  (as  have  many  others  also  in  our  day)  in  a  state  of 
uncertainty  as  to  what  was  the  real  substance  and  meaning 
of  the  message  prqclaimed\bfy  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  by 
His  farVfufiJter,  JoJtii'j'bleiR&ptist,  to  the  people  of  Israel. 
In  order  t*o* Settle "tliis  (jue^stioir,*  our  brother  adopted  a  plan 
which/patfl^I  tfptrFkiUto^  jjielH  'the  desired  result.  With  an 
open  .'niin^  •a'na  with'out  recourse  to  any  human  "helps," 
he  set  himself  to  the  task  of  examining  every  verse  in  the 
four  Gospels  and  in  the  book  of  Acts,  setting  down  the 
testimony  of  each  passage  which  referred  in  any  way  to 
the  purpose  of  the  Lord's  first  coming  into  the  world.  The 
result  is  here  presented  to  the  reader,  whose  happy  privi- 
lege it  is  to  enter,  and  with  but  little  effort  on  his  own 
part,  into  the  benefits  of  the  author's  labors.  The  reader 
may  thus  have  his  own  questions  answered,  and  his  own 
convictions  formed,  by  the  clear  and  cumulative  testimony 
of  scores  of  passages  of  Scripture,  among  all  of  which  is 


not  to  be  found  a  single  one  which  does  not  fully  support 
the  author's  conclusion. 

The  importance  of  the  subject  treated  herein  cannot  be 
over-estimated;  for  to  be  mistaken  as  to  the  purport  of  the 
Lord's  own  message  is  sure  to  cause  distorted  views  con- 
cerning truth  that  is  fundamental.  Error  as  to  the  Lord's 
message  has  led  even  to  unsound  views  touching  the  atone- 
ment, as  shown  by  the  quotation  herein  from  Mr.  S.  D. 
Gordon's  writings;  and  while  most  of  those  who  share  the 
error  referred  to  are  too  well  grounded  in  the  faith  to  accept 
the  conclusions  which  Mr.  Gordon  and  others  have  deduced 
from  it,  the  fact  remains  that  such  views,  and  others  scarcely 
less  harmful  are  logically  involved  in  it. 

I  am  thankful  indeed  for  Mr.  Brook's  valuable  contribu- 
tion to  the  important  question  of  the  hour. 

(Signed)     PHILIP  MAURO. 
July  11,  1920. 


425679 


The   Postponed    Millenium 

IS  IT  SCRIPTURAL? 


What  was  the  purpose  of  Christ's  first  coming  into  the 
world?  Some  may  wonder  at  the  need  of  raising  this  ques- 
tion. The  average  Bible  student  would  say  at  once  that  "He 
came  to  give  His  life  a  ransom";  "He  came  as  the  Lamb  of 
God  to  bear  the  sin  of  the  world";  "He  came  to  seek  and  to 
save  the  lost";  "He  came  to  lay  down  His  life  for  the  sheep"; 
"He  came  to  be  lifted  up" — but  wait — 

There  are  some  who  give  us  a  different  conception.  He 
came,  they  say,  to  present  Himself  for  an  earthly  kingdom; 
He  came  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  the  Millenium;  He 
came  making  an  offer  to  the  Jews,  and  because  they  rejected 
His  offer  to  rule  over  them,  His  program  was  changed.  His 
first  plan  was  postponed  and  He  launched  instead  upon  the 
establishment  of  a  spiritual  kingdom.  John  the  Baptist,  we 
are  told,  went  before  Him,  announcing  His  purpose  to  rule 
at  that  time,  but  His  mission  was  a  failure.  John  will,  we 
are  told,  have  to  make  a  second  attempt  after  Christ  gets 
through  dealing  with  the  church,  when  Christ  will  give  the 
Jewish  nation  a  second  chance,  although  in  this  second 
opportunity  He  will  not  seek  their  support  or  ask  their 
opinions.  He  will  come  with  power. 

The  Cross — this  was  necessitated  because  the  Jews  would 
not  accept  His  offer  of  an  earthly  reign.  It  was  prophesied 
of  course  and  must  needs  have  been. 

S.  D.  Gordon  in  his  book,  "Quiet  Talks  About  Jesus,"  has 
carried  this  theory  of  Christ's  coming  to  its  logical  conclu- 
sion although  many  who  hold  this  view  would  hesitate  to 
express  themselves  so  plainly.  Mr.  Gordon  says  on  pages 
114-116,  "His  dying  was  not  God's  own  plan.  One  needs 


6  THE  POSTPONED  MILLENNIUM 

always  to  keep  sharply  in  mind  the  difference  between  God's 
plan  and  that  which  He  clearly  saw  ahead  and  into  which 
He  determined  to  fit  in  carrying  out  His  purpose."  (As  if 
God  could  not  help  Himself.)  "This  explains  the  Kingdom 
plan  arid  the  necessity  for  Jesus'  finishing  up  the  Kingdom 
plan  at  a  later  day.  God's  plan  was  broken  and  retarded 
but  will  be  carried  through  in  the  end." 

The  outcome  of  this  theory  is  a  setting  aside  of  the  Gos- 
pels as  far  as  the  church  is  concerned  except  as  there  may  be 
found  some  moral  precepts  or  some  references  to  the  Cross. 
It  also  logically  leads  to  a  setting  aside  of  the  greater  part 
of  the  book  of  Acts  as  not  directly  applicable  to  the  church. 
These  theories  have  been  expressed  in  the  writings  of  many 
well  known  teachers.  The  position  is  concisely  stated  in  a 
recent  booklet  by  A.  Hulsizer  ("Essentials  of  Knowing  the 
Word").  "What  is  true  of  the  Gospels  is  equally  true  and 
more  necessary  to  recognize  in  Acts.  As  God  the  Son  had 
a  clearly  defined,  twofold  mission  in  the  Gospels,  even  so 
has  the  Spirit  in  Acts,  and  without  recognizing  this,  the 
book  will  never  receive  its  true  setting.  His  first  mission 
is  named  in  Acts  2:36  and  closes  in  Acts  28:26-28."  (Up  to 
this  point,  he  argues,  the  book  of  Acts  deals  wholly  with 
Kingdom  relationships.)  "Now  the  Holy  Spirit  enters  on 
His  second  mission,  i.  e.,  the  calling  out  of  a  people  for  His 
name  (Rom.  11:25).  (Should  he  not  have  said  "wider" 
mission — i.  e.,  the  chosen  people  have  twice  been  given  the 
first  offer  and  the  Gospel  now  widens  to  the  Gentiles,  ac- 
cording to  Acts  1 :8) .  "We  may  conclude  that  Acts,  instead 
of  being  the  beginning  of  our  present  body  relationships  is 
the  conclusion  of  the  Kingdom  relationships  or  Jewish  his- 
tory, and  that  everything  set  before  us  in  Acts  is  under 
'Kingdom  relationship.'  From  Genesis  to  the  last  chapter 
of  Acts  God  has  been  particularly  concerned  with  the  earth 
in  His  purpose."  (Mr.  Hulsizer  leaves  us  nothing  but  the 
Epistles). 

Dr.  Scofield  has  said,  "It  is  simple  folly  to  look  at  the 
Gospels  for  church  truth.  Church  truth  is  given  in  the 
Epistles.  The  later  teachings  of  the  synoptic  Gospels  have 


THE  POSTPONED  MILLENNIUM  7 

in  view  neither  the  Jews  then  living  nor  the  believers  of  the 
church  age,  but  the  remnant  of  Jews  who  will  turn  to  Jesus 
as  Messiah  in  the  great  tribulation."  (Does  it  not  seem 
strange,  to  say  the  least,  that  the  great  bulk  of  the  New 
Testament  and  the  first  half  of  it,  should  be  given  to  in- 
structions that  have  to  do  with  a  brief  period  of  time  at  the 
close  of  the  present  age?) 

The  writer  frankly  admits  he  has  not  devoted  the  years  to 
Bible  study  that  many  of  these  men  have.  He  has  in  the 
past  held  their  views  because  as  a  young  student  he  took 
the  Scofield  Bible  as  the  final  word  on  all  Bible  questions. 
Some  time  ago,  however,  he  discovered  that  this  view  of 
the  Gospels  and  Acts  and  of  the  mission  of  Christ  was  a  very 
modern  one.  The  early  church  seemed  to  know  nothing  of 
this  theory.  All  through  the  church  age  thousands  of  the 
saints  have  been  misled  if  this  theory  is  correct.  The  old 
reliable  commentaries  do  not  even  mention  it. 

The  writer  found  himself  almost  in  the  same  breath 
teaching  that  Christ  was  the  one  Man  Who  came  into  the 
world  to  die  and  noi  to  live — that  His  very  incarnation  was 
for  the  purpose  of  His  atoning  death — that  He  must  first 
come  as  the  suffering  Redeemer  before  He  could  ever  come 
to  reign,  the  resurrected,  glorified  Man — and  then  he  found 
himself  saying  that  Christ  came  to  offer  an  earthly  kingdom 
to  the  Jews  and  had  He  been  received  at  that  time  His  king- 
dom would  have  been  immediately  set  up.  Often  inquirers 
raised  the  question — "But,  suppose  He  had  been  accepted, 
what  then  of  the  atonement  for  sin  and  the  fulfilment  of 
the  Scriptures?"  Our  only  answer  was  that  it  would  have 
been  accomplished  in  some  other  way  (although  it  was  evi- 
dent that  had  it  occurred  in  some  other  way  it  could  not  have 
fulfilled  prophecies),  and  if  the  question  was  pressed  too 
hard,  we  dismissed  the  whole  matter  by  saying  that  since  the 
Jews  did  not  accept  Him  as  their  King,  there  was  no  need  to 
discuss  the  question. 

It  was  seen  from  Scripture  that  the  Cross  was  the  eternal 
purpose  of  God  for  the  redemption  of  mankind — yet  I  found 
myself  saying  at  times  that  God  had  another  thought  which 


8  THE  POSTPONED  MILLENNIUM 

He  introduced  ahead  of  the  Cross,  an  earthly  kingdom  for 
His  Son.  It  was  seen  that  wherever  the  order  of  events  was 
given  in  the  prophecies,  it  was  always  first  a  suffering  Mes- 
siah and  then  a  King  coming  in  power  (See  Luke  24:26  and 
46;  Acts  17:3;  1  Pet.  1:11),  yet  I  found  myself  reversing 
the  order.  It  seemed  that  there  was  not  the  slightest  pos- 
sibility of  Christ's  avoiding  the  Cross  at  the  appointed  time, 
not  the  faintest  suggestion  in  His  words  or  actions  that  He 
had  come  to  proclaim  Himself  an  earthly  Monarch — yet  I 
seemed  to  teach  that  He  went  about  making  a  bona  fide  offer 
of  an  earthly  kingdom. 

It  was  seen  that  in  Christ's  final  commission  He  charged 
His  own  "to  teach  all  things  whatsoever  He  had  com- 
manded," and  that  in  the  Epistles  the  believer  was  repeated- 
ly directed  to  the  words  of  Christ  as  the  final  court  of  ap- 
peal. (1  Tim.  6:3;  Col.  3:16;  Heb.  1:1;  2:1).  Yet  my 
whole  effort  was  to  evade  the  words  of  Christ  by  assigning 
the  Gospels  to  another  age.  (See  also  Jn.  17:4,  6,  8,  12,  21, 
23,  24;  15:  7,  10).  My  inconsistencies  made  me  extremely 
uneasy. 

Some  one  may  ask,  "Did  not  Christ  have  first  to  offer 
Himself  as  an  earthly  King  in  order  to  expose  Himself  to 
rejection  and  the  Cross?"  In  answer  to  this  question  I 
wish  to  submit  the  result  of  some  research  recently  made  by 
me  in  the  Gospels  and  Acts.  In  1917  Mr.  Ivan  Panin  raised 
some  important  questions  in  my  mind,  driving  me  to  the 
Word  of  God.  Soon  after,  Mr.  Philip  Mauro  issued  his 
books  in  opposition  to  the  "postponement  theory."  I  found 
relief  in  regard  to  some  of  my  problems,  but  also  experi- 
enced certain  confusion.  The  pressure  of  this  situation 
drove  me  to  my  Bible.  I  went  carefully  over  the  Gospels 
and  Acts,  noting  on  paper  every  passage  that  in  any  way 
related  to  the  purpose  of  Christ's  first  advent.  I  laid  aside 
all  human  helps  while  doing  this  work,  asking  the  Holy 
Spirit  to  be  my  Teacher  as  I  wrote  after  each  passage  what 
seemed  to  be  the  plain  teaching  thereof,  taken  by  itself.  It 
is  the  result  of  this  work  that  I  am  herewith  submitting,  in 
the  hope  that  it  will  serve  to  clarify  the  minds  of  others  as 


THE  POSTPONED  MILLENNIUM  9 

it  has  clarified  my  own.  I  ask  the  reader  to  dismiss  from 
his  mind,  so  far  as  possible,  all  preconceived  theories,  and, 
after  having  examined  each  separate  passage,  and  after 
having  taken  a  view  of  the  whole,  to  answer  for  himself  the 
question — Was  Christ's  first  mission  a  failure?  Was  the 
millenium  proposed  by  Him  at  that  time  and  then  post- 
poned? 

PURPOSE  OF  CHRIST'S  FIRST  COMING 

MATTHEW 

Mt.    1:21         Came  to  save  His  people  from  their  sins. 

1 :23         Came  as  revelation  of  God  in  the  flesh. 

3:11         Came  to  baptize  with  Holy  Ghost  and  fire. 

3:12         Came  to  gather  wheat  into  His  garner. 

3:15         Came  to  fulfill  all  righteousness. 

4:11         Came  to  defeat  the  devil. 

4:16         Came  as  a  light  to  a  people  in  darkness. 

4 :23,  24  Came  preaching  preparation  for  a  kingdom 
at  hand  and  proving  His  claims  by  miracu- 
lous powers. 

5:17         Came  to  fulfil  law  and  prophets. 

6:9  Came  to  teach  disciples  relationship  to  Je- 

hovah and  how  to  pray  to  Him. 

7:29  Came  to  teach  with  divine  authority  con- 
cerning spiritual  welfare. 

8:16, 17  Came  casting  out  demons  and  healing  sick, 
in  fulfilment  of  prophecy,  thus  identifying 
Himself  as  the  appointed  Saviour. 

9:6  Came  healing  sick  in  proof  of  His  claim  to 

have  power  to  forgive  sins. 

9:13  Came  to  call  sinners,  not  righteous,  to  re- 
pentance. 

9:15         Came  as  the  bridegroom. 

9:35  Came  preaching  gospel  of  a  kingdom  at 
hand,  proving  His  authority  by  healing  mir- 
acles. 


10  THE  POSTPONED  MILLENNIUM 

10:34         Came  not  to  send  peace  but  a  sword. 
10:35         Came  to  set  men  at  variance  among  them- 
selves. 

11:5  Came  to  heal  and  preach  gospel. 

11:27         Came  to  make  known  Father  to  whomsoever 

He  will  reveal  Him. 
11 :28, 29  Came  to  give  rest  of  soul. 
12:8  Came  as  Lord  of  Sabbath  day. 

12:18         Came  to  show  judgment  to  Gentiles. 
12:21         Came  to  be  trust  of  Gentiles. 
12:40         Came  to  die  and  be  resurrected  after  three 

days. 
12:41         Came  as  one  greater  than  Jonah,  to  preach 

repentance. 
12:42         Came  as  one  greater  than  Solomon  to  reveal 

wisdom  of  God. 
13:  Came  to  sow  the  seed  of  the  word  in  all  "the 

world." 
13:44         Came  as  purchaser  of  a  field  in  which  there 

was  a  treasure. 

13:45         Came  as  seeker  after  a  pearl  of  great  price. 
14:33         Came  as  Son  of  God. 
15:30         Came  to  heal  sick. 

16:4  (See  12:39-40.)     Came  to  be  buried  and  res- 

urrected after  three  days. 
16:16-18  Came  as  Son  of  God,  the  Foundation  upon 

which  the  church  should  be  built. 
16:21         Came  to  suffer,  die  and  be  raised,  a  purpose 

from  which  nothing  must  turn  Him.    (v.  22- 

23.) 

17:5  Came  as  divine  Son  with  authority  to  speak. 

17:9  Came  to  be  raised  from  dead,  until  when  the 

kingdom  He  came  to  establish  could  not  be. 
17:22,  23  Came  to  be  betrayed  into  men's  hands,  killed 

and  raised  again. 

18:11-13  Came  to  save  that  which  is  lost. 
20:18-19  Came  to  be  condemned  to  death,  and  to  be 

raised  the  third  day. 


THE  POSTPONED  MILLENNIUM  11 

20:28  Came  not  to  be  ministered  to,  but  to  give  life 
a  ransom. 

21 :5  Came  as  King  in  meekness  riding  upon  an  ass 

21:9-11  Came  as  Son  of  David,  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord.  Understood  by  those  who  hailed  Him 
to  be  prophet  of  Nazareth,  (v.  11.) 

21:33-41  Came  as  one  sent  by  Father  to  see  if  people 
would  reverence  Him.  ( (v.  37.) 

21:42  Came  as  Stone  rejected  of  builders,  yet  to  be 
made  by  God,  headstone  of  corner. 

22:2  Came  as  Bridegroom  for  whom  a  wedding 

was  being  prepared. 

22:44  Came  as  one  who  was  to  sit  on  Father's  right 
hand  until  His  enemies  be  made  His  foot- 
stool. 

23:8,    10  Came  as  the  Teacher  of  His  people. 

23:37  Came  seeking  to  gather  His  people  to  Him 
self  and  mourned  that  the  chosen  people, 
Israel,  would  not  recognize  His  mission. 
They  have  since  been  a  desolate  people. 
(v.  38.) 

26:39,54  Came  to  drink  cup  which  must  be  in  order 
to  fulfil  Scripture. 

26:52-54  Came  to  be  sacrificed,  which  must  be  ac- 
cording to  Scripture,  and  from  which  He 
did  not  shrink  and  wanted  no  deliverance. 

27:35  Came  to  be  crucified  in  fulfilment  of  Scrip- 
tures. In  v.  43  note  He  was  crucified  because 
of  claims  to  be  Son  of  God  (Jn.  5:17),  not 
because  of  seeking  a  throne.  They  sought 
Him  for  this  and  He  refused.  In  v.  54  note 
that  some  began  to  realize  that  the  claim  He 
had  made  and  for  which  He  was  rejected 
was  true.  (v.  37,  the  Romans  put  this  title 
"King"  on  His  cross  as  a  slur  on  the  Jews.) 

27:63  Came  to  be  killed  and  resurrected  (not  made 
King)  and  rulers  feared  He  would  carry 
out  His  prophecy  of  Resurrection. 


12  THE  POSTPONED  MILLENNIUM 

28:19-20  Came  giving  commands  to  be  faithfully 
taught  and  executed  to  the  end  of  the  age. 
(Not  to  be  cast  aside  as  Jewish.)  What 
were  the  commands? 

MARK 

Mk.     1:8  Came  to  baptize  with  Holy  Ghost. 

1:11         Came  to  be  manifested  as  beloved  Son. 
1:14         Came  preaching  gospel   of  God's  kingdom 

soon  to  be  set  up. 

1:22         Came  as  Teacher  with  authority. 
1 :32, 34  Came   healing   and   casting   put   demons   in 

proof  of  His  claims  as  Savior. 
2:5,8-11  Came   to   forgive   sins,   demonstrating   His 

authority  by  healing. 
2:17         Came  not  to  call  righteous  but  sinners  to 

repentance. 
2:19-20  Came  as  Bridegroom  who  was  going  away 

again  (to  take  to  Himself  a  bride.) 
2:27         Came  as  Lord  of  Sabbath. 
6:56         Came  to  make  men  whole. 
8:29-31  Came  as  suffering  Messiah,  rejected,  killed, 

resurrected.    (Not  capable  of  being  tempted 

at  that  time  to  take  earthly  kingdom,   v.  32- 

33.) 
9:7-9       Came  as  beloved  Son  of  God  who  was  to  be 

sacrificed  and  raised,    (v.  12.) 
9:31-32  Came  as  Son  of  Man,  to  be  killed  and  raised 

again    (v.    32,    they  wholly  misunderstood 

His  mission.) 
10:33,34  Came  to  be  delivered  up,  killed  and  raised 

again. 

10:45         Came  to  give  life  a  ransom. 
12:6  Came  as  Divine  Servant,  seeking  fruit  of  the 

vineyard. 
12:35-37  Came  as  Lord  who  should  sit  at  right  hand 

of  Father  until  enemies  made  His  footstool. 

(16:19.) 


THE  POSTPONED  MILLENNIUM  13 

13:34  Came  with  expectation  of  going  on  a  far 
journey,  has  authorized  servants  to  act  in 
His  absence. 

14:21  Came  to  go  to  death  as  it  was  written  of 
Him. 

14:24         Came  to  shed  His  blood  for  many. 

14:27-28  Came  to  fulfil  Scripture — they  would  smite 
the  shepherd  but  He  would  rise  again. 

14:61  Came  announcing  Himself  the  Christ,  the 
Son  of  the  Blessed,  the  charge  which  was 
made  against  Him. 

15 :27, 28  Came  to  be  numbered  with  transgressors, 
according  to  Scripture. 

15:39  Came  as  Son  of  God.  (Killed  for  this  claim. 
Centurion  now  believes  His  claim  was  cor- 
rect. ) 

LUKE 

Lk.  1:31-33  Came  announced  as  Jesus  (a  Savior)  who 
should  be  great  and  who  should  be  heir  to 
Davidic  throne  to  reign  forever.  (Doesn't 
say  when  He  should  take  throne.  If  it  meant 
at  that  time,  it  was  not  a  true  prophecy.) 

2:10-11  Came  announced  by  angels  as  "Savior,"  for 
"all  people." 

2:29-32  Simeon  filled  with  Spirit  announces  Christ 
as  God's  "Salvation" — Light  to  Gentiles  and 
Glory  of  Israel. 

2:35  Simeon  hints  that  the  Savior  is  to  undergo 
some  great  trial  (cf  Jn.  19:25).  (Did  Simeon 
have  impression  Christ  had  come  then  to  of- 
fer Israel  a  kingdom?) 

2:49         Came  to  be  about  His  Father's  Program. 

3 :22  Came  announced  from  heaven  as  beloved  Son 
of  Father. 

4:  3-13  Came  as  Son  of  God  to  overcome  Satan. 

4:17-19  Came  to  preach  good  news  to  poor,  heal  bro- 
ken hearted,  give  deliverance  to  captives  — 


14  THE  POSTPONED  MILLENNIUM 

to  preach  the  acceptable  year  of  Lord  (what- 
ever the  latter  refers  to,  it  was  then  being 
fulfilled— v.  21). 

4:40  Came  to  heal  sick,  to  demonstrate  His  divine 
authority  (v.  41). 

5:20-24  Came  healing  sick  in  jDroof  of  His  authority 
to  forgive  sins. 

5:32         Came  to  call  sinners  to  repentance. 

5:34-35  Came  as  Bridegroom. 

6:5  Came  as  Lord  qf  Sabbath. 

7:14-16  Came  raising  dead,  proving  that  in  Him  God 
Himself  was  visiting  His  people. 

7:22  Came  performing  miracles  in  demonstration 
of  His  being  fulfilment  of  John's  prophecies. 

8:1  Came  preaching  glad  tidings  of  God's  king- 

dom. 

9:18-20  Came  seeking  recognition  as  Son  of  God. 

9:22         Came  to  fulfil  Scripture  as  rejected  Messiah. 

9:30-31  Came  to  accomplish  sacrifice.  Moses  and 
Elias  are  interested  in  this  (no  mention  of 
earthly  kingdom). 

9:44--45  Came  to  be  delivered  into  hands  of  unbe- 
lievers. (Disciples  could  not  understand 
meaning  of  it  until  afterward.) 

9:51  Came  to  be  offered  at  a  set  time.  Steadfastly 
set  face  in  that  direction.  He  would  follow 
this  plan  in  spite  of  their  opposition  (v.  52-3) 
and  wanted  no  supernatural  deliverance  (v. 
54-5). 

9:56         Came  not  to  destroy  but  save  lives. 
10:22         Came    to    reveal    Father   to   whomsoever   He 

would. 

12:49         Came  to  send  fire  on  the  earth.     It  was  al- 
ready kindled. 
12:50         Came  expecting  a  baptism  of  sorrow  and  was 

straitened  until  it  be  accomplished. 
12:51-53  Came  not  to  give  peace  but  sword. 


THE  POSTPONED  MILLENNIUM  15 

13:32-33  Came  to  cast  out  demons,  cure  sick  and  to  be 
perfected  at  Jerusalem. 

13:34-35  Came  to  gather  Jews  into  His  kingdom,  but 
they  would  not  be  gathered.  Their  national 
condition  therefore  to  be  one  of  desolation 
until  His  return. 

14:16-24  Came  inviting  Jews  to  the  great  feast,  but 
in  their  deafness  He  sends  into  highways  for 
the  guests  and  those  who  were  first  bidden 
miss  the  feast. 

16:1-2  Came  to  make  Israel  give  account  of  its  stew- 
ardship, and  if  they  fail,  they  cease  to  be  His 
stewards. 

18:31-34  Came  to  fulfil  prophecies  telling  of  suffering 
Messiah,  and  to  be  raised  again.  (Disciples 
did  not  comprehend,  v.  34.) 

19:12-27  Came  as  nobleman  who  would  go  into  far 
country  until  his  kingdom  be  received;  then 
to  return  to  reckon  with  his  representatives 
on  earth,  (v.  11:  People  were  looking  for 
some  great  outward  demonstration  immedi- 
ately on  earth.  He  shows  them  this  cannot 
be.) 

19:37-38  Came  hailed  by  multitude  as  King  that  com- 
eth  in  name  of  the  Lord.  (Jesus  does  not 
recognize  or  respond  to  their  acclaims  of 
Him  as  King.  His  face  is  set  toward  Jerusa- 
lem for  another  purpose,  v.  43-44.) 

20:9-16  Came  as  Son  of  God  to  see  if  His  own  people 
would  reverence  Him,  but  knew  they  would 
kill  Him. 

20:17-18  Came  as  Stone  rejected  of  builders,  yet  to 
be  made  Headstone  of  corner. 

22:6-16     Came  knowing  He  must  suffer  at  a  set  time. 

22:20         Came  to  shed  His  blood  for  us. 

22:48-51  Came  to  be  betrayed.  Would  accept  no  de- 
liverance. 

22:22         Came  to  be  rejected  as  before  determined. 


16  THE  POSTPONED  MILLENNIUM 

23:2-5  Jesus  charged  with  trying  to  upset  nation 
and  claiming  throne.  (The  charges  were 
false.  Had  not  set  Himself  up  as  king  and  had 
told  people  to  support  government.  Cp.  Jno. 
18:33-36,  Mt.  26:59,  Lk.  23:14.) 

24:6-8  Came  to  fulfil  a  program  from  which  there 
was  no  escape.  Crucifixion  and  resurrection. 
(Note  24:13-21.  The  two  made  no  mention 
of  Jesus  as  King  but  as  a  mighty  Prophet 
whom  they  expected  would  be  the  means  of 
delivering  Israel.) 

24:25—27  Came  on  one  definite  mission,  to  fulfil  proph- 
ecies regarding  a  suffering  and  resurrected 
Messiah.  (He  calls  them  "fools"  that  they 
had  not  understood,  since  He  had  often  told 
them  that  He  came  not  to  set  up  a  temporal 
kingdom  at  that  time.) 

24:44-46  Came  to  fulfil  prophecies  of  a  suffering  Sa- 
vior (reminds  them  that  He  had  continually 
emphasized  these  prophecies,  yet  they  still 
kept  looking  to  Him  as  a  temporal  king.) 

24:47  Came  that  remission  of  sins  might  be 
preached  to  all  nations.  (Was  this  not  John 
the  Baptist's  gospel  also?) 

JOHN 

Jn.     1 :4-5,  9  Came  as  Life  and  Light  of  men. 

1:14  Came  as  God  in  human  flesh,  manifesting 
grace  and  truth. 

1:18         Came  to  reveal  Father  in  human  flesh. 

1:29  Came  announced  as  Lamb  of  God,  Sin-Bearer 
for  the  whole  "world" — not  for  Israel  only. 

2:11  Came  performing  miracles  in  manifestation 
of  His  divine  glory. 

2:18-21  Came  as  one  who  would  be  destroyed  and 
raised  up.  (Disciples  afterwards  remem- 
bered that  He  had  announced  Himself  in  this 
way,  v.  22). 


THE  POSTPONED  MILLENNIUM  17 

3:14-16  Came  as  one  to  be  lifted  up  as  was  serpent 
in  wilderness  that  those  believing  in  Him 
might  be  saved. 

3:17-18,36  Came    as    one    sent    of    God   that   world 
through  Him  might  be  saved. 

3:29         Came  announced  as  the  Bridegroom. 

3:31-33  Came  to  bear  witness  from  the  Father. 

4:10         Came  as  Gift  of  God  (see  3:16). 

4:14         Came  as  Giver  of  living  water  (Spirit). 

4:42  Came  understood  by  some  to  be  the  Savior  of 
the  world  (even  Samaritans).  He  saved 
Samaritans  even  before  He  began  to  preach 
to  Israel. 

5:18  Came  claiming  equality  with  Father  (why  He 
was  finally  killed). 

5:19-20  Came  empowered  by  Father  to  do  mighty 
works. 

5:21-22  Came  empowered  by  Father  to  raise  dead  and 
judge  all  men. 

5 :23         Came  demanding  equal  honor  with  the  Father. 

5:24         Came  as  Giver  of  life. 

5:36  Came  to  finish  certain  works  for  the  Father. 
(Later  —  "It  is  finished.")  His  miracles 
would  testify  of  His  heavenly  commission. 

5:43         Came  in  His  Father's  Name. 

5:46         Came  in  fulfilment  of  Moses'  writings. 

6:14-15  Came  misunderstood  as  to  His  mission.  They 
would  make  Him  King  by  force,  but  He  with- 
draws. (Some  say  He  did  not  accept  be- 
cause Kingdom  was  not  to  be  set  up  by  force 
but  given  Him  of  the  Father.  But  when  mil- 
lenial  Kingdom  comes,  it  will  come  with 
force.) 

6:33-57  Came  as  Bread  of  God  and  Bread  of  life. 

6:63         Came  to  speak  life-giving  words. 

7:7  Came  to  testify  of  world's  lost  condition. 

7:28-29  Came  as  One  sent  from  Father  and  who  was 
to  be  rejected.  (They  could  not  kill  Him, 


18  THE  POSTPONED  MILLENNIUM 

however,  until  the  appointed  hour,  v.  30.) 
7:33         Came  to  be  on  earth  a  little  while  and  then 

to  go  away. 

7:37-39  Came  as  Giver  of  living  water. 
8:12         Came  as  Light  of  the  world. 
8:19         Came  to  make  known  Father. 
8:26-28  Came  to   speak  to  world  message  from  the 

Father. 
8:51         Came  as  One  whose  words  had  power  to  give 

everlasting  life. 

8:59         Came  as  One  who  had  existed  before  Abra- 
ham. 

9:4  Came  to  work  works  of  Him  that  sent  Him. 

9:5  Came  to  be  Light  of  world  as  long  as  He  was 

in  world.      (Implied  He  had  not  come  with 
intentions  of  staying.) 
9:35-37  Came  as  Son  of  God. 
10:7-9       Came  as  Door  of  the  sheep  that  through  Him 

they  might  enter  into  fold. 
10:11         Came  as  Good  Shepherd. 
10:15         Came  to  lay  down  His  life  for  the  sheep. 
10:16         Came  to  bring  sheep  not  only  from  Jewish 

but  other  folds   (i.  e.  Gentiles.) 

10:17-18  Came  to  lay  down  His  life  that  He  might 
take  it  again,  (v.  20 — Jews  could  not  under- 
stand His  mission.) 

10:28         Came  as  Giver  of  eternal  life. 
10:36-38  Came  as  One  set  apart  of  Father  and  sent 
into  world,  whose  miracles  were  to  testify  of 
the  fact. 

11:25         Came  as  Resurrection  and  the  Life. 
11:50-51  Came  to  die  for  the  people.     (The  high  priest 

unwittingly  tells  the  truth.) 
11:52         Came  to  die  not  only  for  Israel  but  to  gather 

in  one  all  who  would  be  children  of  God. 
12:12-15  Came  acclaimed  by  people  as  King  who  com- 
eth  in  Name  of  the  Lord,  fulfilling  prophecy 
about  His  coming  in  meekness,  riding  on  an 


THE  POSTPONED  MILLENNIUM  19 

ass.      (Disciples  did  not  see  significance  of 

this   until   after   He  was   dead   and   raised — 

v.  16.) 

12 :23-24  Came  to  die  and  be  raised. 
12:27         Came  to  hour  of  crucifixion,  from  which  He 

wanted  no  escape.     For  this  He  came  into 

world. 

12:28         Came  to  glorify  Father's  Name. 
12:32         Came  to  be  lifted  up  for  the  drawing  of  all 

men. 

12:35-36  Came  to  be  as  a  light  for  a  little  while. 
12:38         Came  fulfilling  prophecy  that  He  would  be 

a  rejected  Messiah. 

12:46         Came  as  light  in  dark  world. 
12:47         Came  to  save  world,  not  condemn  it. 
12:49-50  Came  to  voice  Father's  will  for  men. 
13:15-16  Came   as   an   example  of  humble   service   to 

God's  children  in  His  Name. 
13:18-19  Came  to  fulfil  Scripture  concerning  Messiah 

who  would  be  betrayed. 
14:6  Came  as  Way,  Truth  and  Life. 

14:10-11  Came  to  speak  divine  words  to  men. 
14:28-29  Came  to  be  on  earth  for  little  while,  then  go 

away.      (Tried  to  make  this  clear  from  the 

first  so  they  would  understand  when  He  was 

killed.) 
15:5  Came    as    true    Vine    from    which    fruitful 

branches  were  to  grow. 
15:22-23  Came  to  convict  world  of  sin. 
15:25         Came  expecting  to  be  hated  without  a  cause. 
16:28         Came  from  Father  to  be  in  world  but  a  little 

time. 
17:1,2       Came  to  glorify  Father  in  His  death;  to  give 

eternal   life  to  as  many  as  the  Father  gave 

to  Him. 

17:4  Came  to  finish  work  Father  gave  Him  to  do. 

17:6  Came   to   manifest   Father's    Name   to    those 

given  Him. 


20  THE  POSTPONED  MILLENNIUM 

18:10-11  Came  to  be  delivered  to  executioners,  and 
would  accept  no  deliverance  from  men. 

18:32  Came  testifying  continually  of  His  coming 
death. 

18:33-36  Came  to  set  up  a  kingdom  which  is  not  of 
this  world.  (Is  this  not  the  kingdom  John 
and  He  had  preached?— 3:16.) 

18:37  Came  admitting  Himself  a  King  but  saying 
His  mission  was  to  bear  witness  of  truth  (not 
set  up  rule — v.  36),  Their  chief  grievance 
was  that  He  had  made  Himself  Son  of  God 
(19:7). 

19:19-21  Note  that  the  title  "King  of  Jews"  on  cross 
was  put  on  by  Romans  as  a  slur  on  Jews. 
Having  rejected  Him  they  could  not  stand 
this  and  asked  to  have  wording  changed. 
Pilate,  however,  had  unwittingly  told  the 
truth  and  would  not  change  it. 

19:28  Came  accomplishing  prophecies  concerning 
suffering  Savior.  It  was  now  "finished" — 
v.  30.  (Was  this  not  what  He  referred  to  in 
beginning  when  He  said,  "I  must  be  about 
My  Father's  business"?) 

19:33-34  Came  fulfilling  Scriptures  concerning  cruci- 
fied Savior. 

ACTS 

Acts  2:22-24  Jesus  came  approved  of  God  by  His  mira- 
cles, to  be  slain  and  to  rise  again  according 
to  the  divine  purpose  ("determinate  coun- 
sel"— this  was  His  determined  course.) 
2:29-31  Was  the  One  foreseen  of  David,  Who  should 
be  raised  from  the  dead  to  sit  on  his  throne. 

I  (He  could  not  take   die  Davidic  throne  until 

He  became  a  resurrected  Man.  He  alone 
has  title  to  the  Davidic  throne,  but  the  time 
has  not  come  for  Him  to  assume  it.  1:6-7; 
2:34^35). 


THE  POSTPONED  MILLENNIUM  21 

2:38-39  Was  the  One  by  whom  believers  should  have 
remission  of  sins  and  the  gift  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  (Mt.  3:11). 

3:13-18  Came  to  suffer  according  to  the  divine  pro- 
gram as  declared  in  the  prophecies  (note  v. 
19-21  does  not  actually  say  God  would  send 
Jesus  Christ  back  right  then  if  the  Jews 
would  receive  Him  as  King.  And  this  could 
not  be  implied  because  the  next  verse,  which 
is  part  of  the  same  sentence,  distinctly 
states  that  the  heavens  must  receive  Him 
until  the  "times  of  restitution"  spoken  of  by 
the  prophets,  which  could  not  be  until  "the 
times  of  the  Gentiles"  be  fulfilled.  What 
verse  19  speaks  of  is  not  a  season  of  re- 
freshing by  or  through  the  coming  (parou 
sia)  of  Christ,  but  away  from  (apo)  the 
presence  (prosopos)  of  the  Lord,  i.  e.  from 
where  He  is  now.  See  Acts  5:41  and  2  Th. 
1:9,  where  the  same  expression  is  found. 
The  word  "times"  in  v.  19  is  a  different 
word  from  "times"  in  v.  21,  and  has  a  dif- 
ferent signification.  When  "sins  are  blotted 
out"  there  is  always  a  season  of  refreshing.) 

3 :25  Came  as  One  of  whom  it  was  said  that  as  the 
Seed  of  Abraham,  He  should  be  the  means 
of  blessing  all  the  kindreds  of  the  earth 
(Gal.  3:8). 

4:11-12  Came  as  the  One  of  Whom  it  was  foretold 
that  He  would  be  set  at  nought  of  men,  yet 
made  Chief  over  all — in  Whom  alone  sal- 
vation could  be  obtained. 

4:27-28  Was  One  of  whom  Scripture  prophesied  that 
men  should  gather  against  and  abuse,  while 
fulfilling  the  very  counsel  of  God.  (His 
rejection  and  suffering  an  absolute  ne- 
cessity. ). 

5:31         Exalted   as   Prince   and   Savior   to   give   re- 


22  THE  POSTPONED  MILLENNIUM 

pentance   and   remission   of   sins   to    Israel 
(first). 
7 :37         Came    as    the    One    before    signified  —  as 

Prophet  whose  message  was  to  be  heard. 
7:52         Came    as    the    Just    One,    foretold    by    the 
prophets. 

10 :34^36  Came  as  the  One  through  Whom  alone  peace 
of  heart  could  come  to  men — whether  Jew 
or  Gentile.  (Note:  What  was  the  message 
they  had  been  preaching  to  the  Jews  begin- 
ning at  Pentecost?  Was  it  to  the  effect  that 
if  Israel  would  receive  the  King,  the  earthly 
kingdom  would  be  immediately  set  up?  Ac- 
cording to  this  text,  the  message  was  that 
peace  was  obtained  only  in  Christ — the 
same  message  ever  since  preached  to  Gen- 
tiles (Eph.  2:14).  Peter's  vision  in  this 
chapter  was  to  teach  him  that  the  message 
he  had  been  giving  was  for  the  Gentiles 
also. 

10:38-43  Was  the  Savior  of  the  world,  approved  by 
His  miracles  and  sealed  as  of  God  by  His 
resurrection  (Apostles  understood  that  their 
commission  was  to  preach  Him  as  Judge  of 
the  quick  and  dead,  through  whom  men 
have  remission  of  sins  by  believing  in  Him, 
"Whosoever" — -the  meaning  of  which  has 
just  dawned  on  Peter.) 

11:17-18  The  One  through  whom  repentance  unto  life 
should  be  given,  not  only  to  Jew  but  Gen- 
tile. (Evidently  they  proceeded  to  declare 
to  the  Gentiles  the  same  message  they  had 
been  giving  Jews  since  Pentecost.) 

13:22-26  Came  as  the  Seed  of  David,  a  Savior  whom 
John  first  announced  to  Israel,  entreating 
them  to  repent  and  receive  the  word  of  sal- 
vation. 

13:27-39  The  perfect  One,  who  was  crucified  accord- 


THE  POSTPONED  MILLENNIUM  23 

ing  to  the  divine  counsels  and  raised  again, 
that  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation  might  be 
preached  to  men  —  complete  justification. 
(Note  that  the  promise  to  Israel  concerning 
salvation  was  fulfilled  in  Jesus'  death  and 
resurrection.  The  message  they  had  been 
preaching  since  Pentecost  was  forgiveness 
of  sins  and  justification  through  the  cruci- 
fied and  risen  One,  the  same  message  given 
to  Gentiles,  v.  18-19.  The  distinct  turning 
to  the  Gentiles  now  about  to  take  place  is 
occasioned  by  the  Jews'  rejection  of  the 
complete  message  of  the  risen  and  glorified 
Savior,  even  as  they  had  before  rejected  the 
announcement  of  Him  as  the  Passover  Lamb, 
v.  4^-47). 

15:9-11  The  One  through  Whose  grace,  salvation 
was  to  come  to  men,  whether  Jew  or  Gentile. 

15:14-18  The  One  through  Whom  salvation  was  to 
be  declared,  and  who  afterward  would  re- 
build the  tabernacle  of  David,  and  fulfil  all 
His  promises  to  Israel.  (Note  that  God's 
program  is  clearly  stated.  1.  Outgathering 
of  the  church,  v.  14.  2.  Regathering  of 
Israel,  v.  16.  3.  Ingathering  of  all  men,  v. 
17.  How  could  the  order  be  reversed,  or  is 
it  even  thinkable  that  God  should  offer  to 
give  Israel  their  kingdom  before  atonement 
and  resurrection  had  been  accomplished? 
James  says  that  "to  this  agree  the  words  of 
the  prophets."  Yet  modern  teachers  assert 
that  the  prophets  put  the  earthly  kingdom 
first  in  the  order  of  events  that  were  to 
come. ) 

17:3  Came  to  suffer  and  rise  again  in  fulfilment 

of  prophecy. 

20:21  Came  to  require  repentance  and  faith  of 
men.  (Note  that  message  to  Jews  and 


24  THE  POSTPONED  MILLENNIUM 

Greeks  was  the  same.  The  message  which 
began  at  Jerusalem  was  that  to  be  declared 
to  the  whole  world,  1:8.) 

26:22-23  Came  to  suffer  for  sin  and  be  raised  from 
the  dead  to  show  light  to  Israel  and  Gen- 
tiles in  fulfilment  of  prophecy.  (Note  that 
the  Gospel  Paul  preached  from  the  first  he 
is  still  preaching.) 

28:23,28  Came  in  fulfilment  of  law  and  prophecies 
to  bring  salvation.  (Same  "salvation  of 
God"  Jews  rejected  is  presented  to  Gen- 
tiles.) 


WHAT  THEN  OF  "THE  KINGDOM  OF  HEAVEN?" 

Should  not  the  phrase  be  interpreted  in  the  light  of  the 
purpose  of  Christ's  first  advent?  If  our  interpretation  of  it 
makes  discord  with  that  purpose,  are  we  not  safe  in  conclud- 
ing that  we  have  a  wrong  interpretation?  Let  us  then  turn 
again  to  the  Scriptures. 

It  was  "at  hand"  when  John  preached  preparation  for  it 
(Mt.  3:2),  and  when  the  Lord  Jesus  preached  preparation 
for  it  (4:17).  Entrance  into  it  requires  a  righteousness 
above  the  best  human  righteousness  (5:20).  Its  true  citi- 
zens will  lay  up  their  treasures  not  on  earth,  but  in  heaven 
(6:19:20) .  Mere  lip  service  is  not  the  badge  of  its  true  cit- 
izens (7:21-22).  Its  citizens  have  a  higher  postion  than 
John  who  announced  it  (11:11).  It  covers  a  period  during 
which  seed  is  to  be  sown  (13:19-33),  and  during  which  Sa- 
tan will  try  to  counteract  the  good  seed  by  sowing  counter- 
feit (13:24-30).  Outwardly  it  is  to  have  an  abnormal 
growth  in  the  world  (13:31-32).  It  covers  a  period  during 
which  the  devil  will  make  continual  effort  to  overcome  the 
true  with  the  leaven  of  false  doctrine  and  at  the  close  of 
which  "the  whole  will  be  leavened"  (13:33-35).  At  the 
end  of  its  period  all  hypocrites  who  have  sought  to  identify 
themselves  with  it,  will  be  cast  out  (13:41-43).  It  was 
made  possible  by  the  paying  of  a  great  price  (13:44).  The 


THE  POSTPONED  MILLENNIUM  25 

privilege  of  throwing  open  the  doors  of  this  kingdom  when 
all  things  were  ready,  was  given  to  Peter  (16:19-20).  En- 
trance into  it  is  conditioned  on  being  converted  and  hum- 
bled as  a  little  child  (18:2-4;  19:14).  Its  true  citizens, 
having  been  forgiven  of  their  sins  are  expected  to  have  a 
forgiving  spirit  toward  others  (18:23-35).  To  enter  it  is 
to  be  saved,  although  the  rich  will  not  find  access  to  it  easy 
(19:23-25).  It  is  a  Kingdom  into  which  manv  are  invited, 
but  few  find  entrance  (20:1,  16).  The  Jews  expected  it  to 
be  an  earthly  kingdom  and  sought  places  in  it,  but  Christ 
explained  that  places  of  honor  in  it  were  to  be  gained  by 
following  Him  and  bearing  His  cross  (20:20-23).  Publi- 
cans and  harlots  find  entrance  into  it  easier  than  the  self- 
righteous  (21:31).  Its  true  citizenship  is  comprised  of 
those  who  reverence  God's  Son  and  bring  forth  fruit  (21 :37, 
43).  Its  completion  depends  upon  bringing  in  men  from 
the  highways  and  byways,  (i.  e.,  Samaritans  and  Gentiles), 
those  to  whom  it  was  first  proclaimed  (the  Jews)  having 
ridiculed  the  call  (22:2-14).  It  shall  be  preached  until  all 
nations  have  had  the  witness  and  then  shall  the  end  of  the 
age  come  (24:14).  At  the  second  coming  of  Christ  it  will 
be  manifested  who  are  its  true  citizens  and  who  are  merely 
connected  with  it  in  the  sphere  of  profession  (25:1-13).  It 
has  an  absent  Overseer  Who  in  His  absence  entrusts  His  in- 
terests in  the  hands  of  His  servants,  whose  rewards  at  His 
return  will  be  based  on  the  use  made  of  that  entrusted  to 
them  (25:14-28). 

This  is  what  the  Gospel  of  Matthew  says  about  the  King- 
dom of  Heaven.  Two  passages  only  we  have  passed  over. 
These  are  Mt.  8:11  and  11:12,  both  difficult  of  interpreta- 
tion (but  not  any  easier  of  interpretation  by  those  who 
teach  the  postponement  theory). 

(1)  Mt.  8:11 — Many  shall  come  from  the  east  and  west 
and  shall  sit  down  with  Abraham  and  Isaac  and  Jacob  in 
the  kingdom  of  the  heavens. 

Jesus  was  commenting  upon  the  faith  of  a  Gentile  cen- 
turion. Such  faith,  He  said,  He  had  not  found  in  Israel, 
the  chosen  people,  who  throughout  the  centuries  had  sup- 


26  THE  POSTPONED  MILLENNIUM 

posedly  been  looking  to  His  day  through  their  sacrifices. 
Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob  had  offered  in  faith.  Jesus  said 
that  many  should  come  from  the  nations  and  have  a  part  in 
that  Kingdom  to  which  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob  belonged 
by  faith,  while  the  Jews  would  come  short  of  it.  If  the 
Kingdom  of  Heaven  here  refers  to  the  millenial  kingdom, 
it  is  clearly  stated  that  the  natural  heirs  of  the  kingdom 
(the  Jews)  will  be  cast  out  of  it  with  weeping  and  gnashing 
of  teeth.  But  if  it  refers  to  the  spiritual  kingdom  of  this 
era  then  we  have  simply  the  truth  declared  by  Paul  in 
Romans  IX-XI  and  illustrated  by  the  figure  of  the  olive 
tree,  some  of  whose  natural  branches  (Jews)  are  broken 
off,  while  branches  of  a  wild  olive  tree  are  graffed  in.  The 
words  "Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob"  in  Matthew  8:11,  rep- 
resent the  true  "Israel,"  the  stock  of  the  olive  tree. 

(2)  Mt.  11:12 — From  the  days  of  John  the  Baptist  until 
now  the  kingdom  of  heaven  suffereth  violence  and  the  vio- 
lent take  it  by  force. 

Surely  the  millenial  kingdom  will  not  be  captured  by  the 
violent.  Dr.  Strong  translates  the  words  "suffereth  vio- 
lence" as  "is  crowded  into"  and  the  words  "take  by  force' 
as  "the  energetic  grasp  it."  The  Companion  Bible  says, 
"The  forceful  ones  lay  hold  of  it."  The  Cambridge  Bible 
says,  "From  the  days  of  John  the  Baptist  until  now  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  forceth  itself  upon  men's  attention  (men 
began  to  press  into)  and  the  earnest  win  their  way  into  it." 

The  foregoing  renderings  do  not  throw  much  light  on  the 
meaning  of  the  passage,  which  doubtless  will  repay  further 
study.  It  has  been  suggested  that  the  Lord  is  here  allud- 
ing to  the  violence  suffered  already  by  John  the  Baptist  and 
later  by  Himself.  Support  for  this  suggestion  is  found  in 
the  fact  that  the  Lord,  on  several  occasions  identified  the 
Kingdom  of  God  with  His  own  Person.  Thus  in  the  very 
next  chapter  He  said,  "If  I  cast  out  devils  by  the  Spirit  of 
God,  then  the  Kingdom  of  God  is  come  unto  you"  (Mat.  12: 
28) .  The  Kingdom  of  God  is  that  Spiritual  domain  where- 
in the  Spirit  of  God  is  and  acts  (Rom.  14:17).  Also  in 


THE  POSTPONED  MILLENNIUM  27 

Luke  17:21  the  Lord  was  plainly  referring  to  Himself  when 
He  said,  "Behold,  the  Kingdom  of  God  in  the  midst  of  you 
now  Ib"  (Gr.) 

The  Gospel  of  Matthew  in  which  the  expression  "kingdom 
of  heaven"  occurs  no  doubt  presents  Christ  especially  to 
the  Jewish  mind.  It  was  of  the  line  of  David  from  which 
the  Savior  was  to  be  born.  The  Jews  at  that  time  had  one 
thought  uppermost — an  earthly  king  and  kingdom.  There 
is  presented  to  them  a  kingdom  of  the  heavens.  Had  Jesus 
given  them  an  earthly  kingdom  that  should  put  Israel  in 
her  rightful  place  over  the  nations,  they  probably  would 
have  met  any  terms.  But  did  not  Jesus  repeatedly  set  aside 
the  suggestion  of  an  earthly  dominion  at  that  time? 

The  phrase  "the  kingdom  of  heaven"  is  not  a  kingdom 
distinct  from  the  "kingdom  of  God."  A  comparison  of  pas- 
sages in  Matthew  where  "kingdom  of  heaven"  is  used  with 
corresponding  passages  in  other  Gospels  where  "kingdom  of 
God"  is  used,  is  sufficient  to  show  that  the  writers  had  no 
thought  of  drawing  any  sharp  distinction  between  the  two. 

And  what  of  the  idea  that  the  Gospels  (and  Acts]  are 
Jewish  and  not  church  truth? 

Our  only  discovery  from  the  passages  we  have  examined 
is  that  Christ  gave  to  the  chosen  people  the  first  oppor- 
tunity to  accept  Him  and  to  become  His  witnesses  through- 
out the  earth.  Could  it  have  been  otherwise? 

It  follows  that,  in  presenting  the  Gospel  to  them,  it  must 
be  done  with  a  view  to  meeting  the  Jewish  bigotry  of  the 
times,  and  of  leading  them  out  from  under  the  dispensation 
of  law  into  the  age  of  "grace  and  truth."  Dr.  Scofield 
rightly  says,  "The  synoptic  gospels  are  intermediate  be- 
tween the  dispensations  of  law  and  of  grace  and  partake  of 
the  character  of  each."  This  means  that  the  church  in  using 
the  Gospels  must  take  them  in  the  light  of  the  finished  work 
of  the  Cross  and  in  the  light  of  the  fact  that  the  Holy  Spirit 
at  Pentecost  came  to  empower  believers  to  do  all  that  Christ 
in  His  teachings  required  of  them.  The  problems  of  the 
Gentile  believer  are  not  the  same  as  those  of  the  Jew,  and 
for  this  reason,  he  will  find  the  Church  Epistles  especially 


28  THE  POSTPONED  MILLENNIUM 

adapted  to  his  needs.  However,  is  it  not  safe  to  say  that 
Christ  in  the  Gospels  requires  nothing  of  His  people  that 
is  not  somewhere  duplicated  in  the  Epistles?  All  of  the 
Gospels  were  written  after  Pentecost,  and  were  given  by  the 
One  Spirit  to  the  one  Church.  Could  it  ever  have  occurred 
to  the  disciples  that  the  church  would  attempt  to  use  the 
teachings  of  the  Gospels  except  in  the  light  of  Calvary's 
Cross  and  Pentecost? 

And  finallv — Was  Christ  the  King  of  the  Jews?  He 
was.  He  alone,  as  the  virgin-born  Seed  of  David's  line 
could  possess  the  Kinglv  titles.  He  still  possesses  them. 
Evidently  the  time  has  not  yet  come  for  Him  to  exercise 
His  full  rights.  At  the  appointed  time  He  will  ask  the 
Father  (not  the  Jews)  and  He  will  give  Him  what  is  prom- 
ised in  the  prophecies.  (See  Ps.  2:8,  9).  When  the  time 
comes  for  Him  to  take  the  throne,  He  will  do  so  without 
consulting  any  man's  opinion  or  attempting  to  surround 
Himself  with  human  supporters.  He  will  come  as  King 
of  Kings  and  Lord  of  Lords,  and  they  who  crucified  Him 
will  look  upon  Him  and  mourn;  for  they  will  see  that  He 
whom  they  ignorantly  murdered  was  not  only  the  Savior 
of  the  world  but  their  King. 

But,  was  it  the  purpose  of  the  King  to  set  up  an  earthly 
kingdom  in  His  first  advent?  I  leave  the  question  to  be  an- 
swered by  the  Scriptures  we  have  heretofore  referred  to. 
David  was  anointed  a  king,  and  was  rightfully  Israel's  king 
for  a  long  period  during  which  a  usurper  sat  upon  the 
throne.  During  that  period  he  did  not  exercise  his  kingly 
rights;  nor  did  he  try  to  possess  himself  of  them  until  God's 
appointed  time  for  him  to  ascend  the  throne. 


THE  POSTPONED  MILLENNIUM  29 

SOME  IMPORTANT  QUESTIONS. 

As  I  have  from  time  to  time,  reviewed  the  passages  above 
set  forth,  many  questions  have  been  raised  in  my  mind.  I 
do  not  attempt  to  answer  these  for  the  reader,  but  believing 
them  to  be  worthy  of  the  consideration  of  every  careful 
Bible  student,  I  give  them  herewith. 

AS  TO  JOHN  THE  BAPTIST. 

1.  When  did  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  God's  Son,  be- 
gin?       (Mk.  1:1-3;  Lk.  16:16;  Heb.  2:3;  Acts  13:23-24). 
Did  not  the  Gospel  era  have  its  beginning  in  the  preaching 
of  John  who  was  sent  to  bear  witness  of  the  Light? 

2.  Does  John  the  Baptist  anywhere  refer  to  Christ  as 
King  of  the  Jews,  or  as  the  Messiah? 

3.  Could  John  make  a  bona  fide  offer  of  the  Davidic 
kingdom  while  as  yet  the  sin-question  remained  unsettled? 
If  John  should  come  today  and  announce  the  Davidic  king- 
dom "at  hand,"  would  it  not  be  nearer  the  truth? 

4.  Is   there   any  hint   from   John   concerning   national 
deliverance  for  Israel,  at  the  time  of  the  first  advent? 

5.  To   whom   was   John's   message   applicable?     (Jno. 
1:29).    To  Jews  only,  or  to  the  world? 

6.  John  announced  Christ  as   Sin-bearer  and  Baptizer 
with  the  Holy  Ghost.     Did  the  three  thousand  baptized  at 
Pentecost,  after  having  heard  the  Word  of  salvation,  become 
thereby  identified  with  the  kingdom  John  had  announced 
"at  hand"?     If  so,  what  kingdom  was  it? 

7.  Was  John's  mission  a  failure?     Did  not  John  liken 
the  people  he  had  prepared  to  a  bride  made  ready  for  the 
Bridegroom   (Jn.  3:25-30)?  and  was  not  his  joy  fulfilled 
in  the  complete  success  of  his  mission? 

8.  Was  not  John  the  herald  of  the  age  of  "grace  and 
truth"— "the  day   of  salvation"— "the  acceptable  year   of 
the  Lord"? 


30  THE  POSTPONED  MILLENNIUM 

9.  Would  not  the  fact  that  baptism,  a  rite  introduced 
by  John  in  connection  with  a  kingdom  he  was  announcing 
as  "at  hand,"  still  continues  in  the  church,  seem  to  indicate 
that  the  kingdom  John  announced  still  continues? 

AS  TO  JESUS  CHRIST. 

1.  Does  Christ  anywhere  by  word  or  action  indicate  that 
He  came  to  overthrow  Gentile  governments,  interrupt  the 
times  of  the  Gentiles,  and  set  up  a  throne  on  earth? 

2.  Do  not  the  words  found  in  Lk.  4:18;   Isa.  61:1-2, 
spoken  at  the  beginning  of  Christ's  ministry,  plainly  de- 
clare the  character  of  His  mission? 

3.  If  God's  hour  had  arrived  for  seating  His  Son  on  a 
throne  on  earth,  could  there  be  a  possibility  of  a  failure? 

4.  Could  a  Jew  be  justly  expected  to  recognize  in  the 
lowly   prophet    of   Nazareth   their   King,    seeing   that   the 
prophecies  all  pictured  His  advent  as  King,  as  accompanied 
with  power  and  great  glory? 

5.  Did  Christ  really  present  Himself  as  King  in  Mt. 
21:1-11;  Lk.  19:37-38;  Mk.  11:1-10?     Was  this  His  con- 
ception or  that  of  the  people?      (There  is  no  question  as 
to  His  kingly  title — but  only  as  to  His  purpose  to  take  the 
throne  at  that  time). 

6.  Must  Christ  stop  to  present  His  credentials  and  get 
a  following  before  He  takes  the  throne  of  David? 

7.  In  the  light  of  the  prophecies,  could  the  successor  to 
David's  throne  be  other  than  a  resurrected  man? 

8.  Was  not  the  acclamation  of  Christ  a  King  a  wrong 
thought  on  the  part  of  the  Jews  (Jn.  18:33-36)  ? 

9.  Was  not  the  world  fully  manured  for  the  mission  on 
which  Christ  came?      (Gal.  4:4-5).     What  was  that  mis- 
sion ?     Could  the  establishment  of  an  earthly  kingdom  have 
had  any  place  within  the  scope  of  His  mission  at  that  time? 

10.  Did  not   Christ,   in   referring  to   His  earfhly   rule, 
always  refer  to  it  as  in  the  future  when  He  should  come  in 
glory? 


THE  PosTPo"^Eb*]VfrcLy\Nltnvf''»  •*••  "•"•'.    31 

AS  TO  THE  KINGDOM. 

1.  Mt.  16:19;  Acts  2:41;   10:40-48.     If  Peter  used  the 
keys  at  Pentecost,  what  kingdom  did  he  open?    Was  it  the 
kingdom  John  had  announced  as  "at  hand"?     If  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  which  Peter  threw  open  to  all,  was  that  of 
the  present  age,  then  was  it  not  indeed  "at  hand"  when 
John  proclaimed  it?      (See  Acts  15:7). 

2.  If  the  "kingdom  of  heaven"  in  the  first  twelve  chap- 
ters of  Matthew  refers  to  Christ's  earthly  kingdom,  and  in 
Matt.  13  (the  parables  almost  universally  conceded  to  refer 
to  the  present  age)   means  some  other  kingdom,  how  is  it 
that  Matthew  gave  no  warning  that  the  term  from  that  point 
on  was  taking  on  an  entirely  new  meaning? 

3.  Did  the  Jews  reject  the  offer  of  an  earthly  kingdom, 
or  did  they  reject  the  counsel  of  God  against  themselves 
(Lk.  7:28-30)  ?     Did  they  refuse  to  come  to  Him  that  they 
might  have  an  earthly  kingdom?  or  was  it  that  they  might 
have  life  (Jn.  5:40)? 

4.  When  Simeon  referred  to  the  "consolation  of  Israel" 
(Lk.  2:25)   did  he  mean  the  overthrow  of  Gentile  govern- 
ments and  establishment  of  Israel?     He  had  the  promise 
that  he  should  see  "the  Lord's  Christ"  and  when  he  saw 
Him  and  said  "I  have  seen  Thy  Salvation";   what  did  he 
mean? 

5.  Was  not  the  promise  of  Gen.  22:18,  the  Gospel  in 
prophecy    (Gal.  3:8-9),  rather  than  a  prophecy  of  earth- 
rule?      (Rom.  1 :2) .     Was  not  the  "blessing"  spoken  of  ful- 
filled in  the  bestowal  of  the  Holy  Spirit  (Gal.  3:13-14)  ? 

6.  What,  according  to  prophecy,  was  to   be  the  man- 
ner of  the  introduction  of  the  Davidic  kingdom   (Ps.  110; 
Ezek.  37:21-25;  Zech.  12:1-10)  ? 

AS  TO  THE  GOSPELS. 

1.  When  Christ  says,  in  the  Great  Commission,  "teach 
all  things  whatsoever  I  have  commanded" — did  He  not  re- 
fer to  the  commandments  recorded  in  the  Gospels? 


32  TriE*  POSTPONED 'MILLENNIUM 

2.  What  shall  we  do  with  such  passages  as  1  Tim.  6:3-5; 
Jn.  6:63,  68,  Heb,  2:3;  2  Jn.  9,  10;  Jn.  14:23-26?    Should 
not  the  Holy  Spirit  make  a  distinction  between  "kingdom 
teaching"  and  "church  truth"?     Has  He  done  so? 

3.  It  is  said  that  the  church  has  never  lived  up  to  the 
Sermon  on  the  Mount,  and  that  indeed  it  is  impossible  in 
this  age.     Has  the  church  lived  up  to  the  Epistles?     Can 
one  live  up  to  the  Epistles  except  by  the  power  of  the  Holy 
Spirit?    Is  the  Spirit  less  powerful  in  this  age  than  He  will 
be  in  the  kingdom  age?     Is  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  too 
much  for  the  Holy  Spirit?     Will  it  be  easier  for  the  Jews 
than  for  God's  own  children? 

4.  Is  there  any  Scripture  to  show  that  the  Sermon  on 
the  Mount  applies  to  a  kingdom  that  has  never  yet  come? 
Is  it  not  singular  that  so  large  a  part  of  our  New  Testament 
should  be  devoted  to  laws  of  a  kingdom  that  lay  so  far  in  the 
future?     The  sermon  closes  with  Mt.   7:24-29.     Are  the 
words  "whosoever"  and  "everyone"  limited  to  the  Jews? 
If  so,  must  they  not  be  so  limited  in  John  3:16,  etc.? 

5.  Do  not  the  beatitudes  define  the  character  of  those 
who  compose  the  true  church?     What  need  will  there  be  of 
such  "laws"  as  are  given  in  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  in 
the  millennium?     Will  there  be  great  persecutions    (Mt. 
5:11-12),  adultery  (v.  27-28),  outbreaking  sin  (29-30),  for- 
nication  (32)   evil  forces   (39)    lawsuits   (40-41),  beggars 
(42)     cursing     (44),    hypocrisy     (6:16),    false    prophets 
(7:15)  ?     Or  does  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  apply  only  to 
the  last  three  and  a  half  years  of  the  great  tribulation? 


*More  Than  a  Prophet.  An  important  and 
timely  message  on  the  ministry  of  John 
the  Baptist  15 

Miracles,  Signs  and  Wonders. 15 

*The  Character  of  Matthew's  Gospel 10 

His  Accusation.    Matt.  27 : 36-37 10 

The  Beginning  of  the  Gospel 05 

Salt  and  Light  What  believers  are  to  the 
world,  being  an  appendix  to  "After  This, 
or  the  Church,  the  Kingdom,  and  the 
Glory"  05 

The  Ministry  of  Jesus  Christ.  Romans 
15  :8.  Being  one  of  the  chapters  in  the 
book  entitled  "God's  Present  Kingdom"  .05 

Paul  and  The  Mystery.     Romans  16:25   ..     .05 

*This  Booklet  is  one  of  the  chapters  of  "God's  Present 
Kingdom." 


Oaylord  Bros. 

Makers 

Syracuse,  N.  Y. 
PAT.  JAN.  21,  1908 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


